The Soul Palace's regular meeting began.
Chu Yangs from the other worlds briefed the Chu Yang of the martial-arts world on the situation. After that, everyone shared their recent memories and abilities.
According to the plan, Pirate World Chu Yang had obtained the lineage factor technology and successfully isolated a portion of lineage factors carrying Wood-Release traits. Naruto World Chu Yang would use this technology to extract the necessary lineage factors from the surviving bloodlines of the Ōtsutsuki clan.
After that, they could attempt to manufacture the lineage factor of the Sage of Six Paths.
Naruto World Chu Yang had already mastered Sage Mode.
With that, plus the Sage of Six Paths' lineage factor, he could perfectly recreate the Sage of Six Paths Mode.
In addition, Naruto World Chu Yang had another idea.
"I want to try extracting a portion of a Tailed Beast's chakra from a Jinchūriki using lineage factor technology."
"If it works, we could fuse those chakras and create our own Ten-Tails chakra."
The idea immediately sparked lively discussion.
Magic World Chu Yang said, "In theory, it should be possible. Tailed Beasts themselves are split from the Ten-Tails' chakra, each with different traits corresponding to different beasts."
"The key issue is that fusion will likely consume an enormous amount of chakra. The Tailed Beast chakra we obtain from Jinchūriki would be incomplete—we'd need to supplement it to ensure a successful fusion."
Shinigami World Chu Yang reminded them, "Let's shelve that plan for now. The priority is figuring out the Sage of Six Paths Mode."
"Urahara Kisuke's training is almost over. Before long, I'll be entering the Soul Society with Ichigo and the others."
"I haven't had a full-power fight with a captain-level Shinigami yet, so I can't be sure how effective Sage Mode will be."
"The Sage of Six Paths Mode is a very important safety net for me."
Naruto World Chu Yang nodded.
Magic World Chu Yang asked, "Has Urahara Kisuke's training helped you sense your Zanpakutō?"
Shinigami World Chu Yang sighed. "It has helped, but I'm not Kurosaki Ichigo. I can't do what he does. I'll have to take the conventional route—join the Shinigami ranks and forge my Zanpakutō properly."
Magic World Chu Yang reminded him, "Make good use of Observation Haki and avoid the truly troublesome opponents."
"Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, Aizen Sōsuke, Kyōraku Shunsui, Unohana Retsu, Zaraki Kenpachi—these are the ones you need to avoid."
"You can fight the others without worry."
Shinigami World Chu Yang scratched his head and laughed bitterly. "When you list them out like that, I don't have many people I can actually beat."
Demon Slayer World Chu Yang suddenly spoke up. "Regarding Source Breathing, I've had some insights recently. When you get back, try to experience it carefully—it might help."
Pirate World Chu Yang added, "I've been busy researching lineage factors, but I haven't slacked off on Haki training. Don't worry."
Shinigami World Chu Yang nodded repeatedly. "I know you've all got my back. I was just joking earlier. I'm very confident about the Soul Society trip."
Marvel World Chu Yang suddenly said, "The core of Sage Mode is the balance between body, spirit, and nature."
"But there shouldn't be natural energy in the Soul Society, right? Everything there is made of Reishi."
"In that case, how are you going to use Sage Mode?"
Shinigami World Chu Yang froze.
He hadn't considered that problem at all.
Marvel World Chu Yang patted his shoulder. "When you get back, practice figuring out how to construct a new version of Sage Mode using Reishi."
Shinigami World Chu Yang fell into deep thought.
Marvel World Chu Yang then turned to Magic World Chu Yang. "At your current level of wandless magic, can you cast the three Unforgivable Curses?"
Magic World Chu Yang shook his head. "Not yet. I can only manage some simple spells."
Marvel World Chu Yang looked a bit regretful. He'd been thinking that if wandless magic could barely reach the level of casting the Imperius Curse, he'd consider joining S.H.I.E.L.D.
If he could control HYDRA's upper ranks with the Imperius Curse, he'd gain a significant amount of support.
After chatting a while longer, everyone returned to their respective worlds.
...
Martial Arts World
The steel blade was less than 0.01 seconds from cutting Chu Yang's head.
As he opened his eyes, black lightning—imperceptible to ordinary people—erupted violently, and a terrifying force swept through the surroundings.
Conqueror's Haki.
The lowly thug rolled his eyes back and collapsed stiffly in front of Chu Yang.
Not just him—every single henchman on the street was struck by the Conqueror's Haki and fell unconscious on the spot.
The burly man with three lumps on his head felt as if his skull had been smashed by a hammer. He reached back to touch his head, rolled his eyes, and fainted as well.
He lasted two seconds longer than his underlings.
As for the big idiot who had dragged Chu Yang into this mess, surprisingly, he hadn't fallen. Instead, he wobbled against a pillar.
"Why do I suddenly feel so dizzy…" he muttered, looking like he wanted to vomit but couldn't.
"You little bastard—you almost got me killed." Chu Yang walked up to him, glaring through clenched teeth.
"Brother… my apologies…" the big idiot cupped his hands toward empty space beside Chu Yang, clearly too dazed to tell directions anymore.
"No need to apologize. We're even now." Chu Yang smiled, then knocked him unconscious with a single blow.
Chu Yang searched him thoroughly, taking all the silver and valuables—even stripping off the fur coat he was wearing.
"I'll leave you a set of clothes out of mercy. Next time, use your brain and don't drag innocent people into your mess. Not everyone is as lucky as I am."
He glanced at the man, then walked toward the garishly styled "Funeral Love Clan" members.
"No grudges, yet you try to kill a passerby. You're clearly not good people." Chu Yang picked up a steel blade from the ground and casually slit one man's throat. "Then don't blame me for settling grudges as they come!"
With that, Chu Yang walked forward, blade in hand.
In moments, the entire street ran with blood.
Chu Yang's expression was calm.
If today's events had happened to any ordinary citizen, they would have died at the hands of this group without question.
Killing them brought Chu Yang no psychological burden whatsoever.
When only one man remained—the one with three lumps on his head—he suddenly scrambled up and fled at top speed.
He had some lightness-skill foundation, but it wasn't impressive. After running for a while, he still hadn't escaped Chu Yang's sight.
Chu Yang hurled the steel blade. Empowered by brute force, even an ordinary weapon became a life-taking instrument.
The fleeing man heard the air tear behind him and turned back to see a familiar steel blade flying straight at him.
It's over!
That thought had just crossed his mind when the blade pierced straight through his body. The terrifying force even carried him off the ground, pinning both man and blade to the wall.
Chu Yang walked up slowly and looked at him.
"You… kill me today… my senior brother… won't let you go…"
The man left his threat, then his neck tilted and he died, eyes wide with resentment.
"So what? Who's your senior brother, anyway? Has anyone ever finished a threat properly?" Chu Yang shook his head helplessly. "You were the one who intended to kill me first, and then I killed you. Simple karma. You come out into the world without even this much awareness—disappointing…"
Blood trickled down the wall toward Chu Yang's feet. Before it reached him, he had already walked away, passing the corpse with its eyes still wide open.
As expected, the authorities would arrive soon. Chu Yang had left the big idiot as the scapegoat.
Scapegoat wasn't absolute, of course.
A short while later, wearing the fur coat, Chu Yang arrived at the Earth God Temple. He searched around but couldn't find the little beggar.
After asking nearby beggars, he learned that the boy didn't actually live there.
He'd lied.
Chu Yang could understand.
Someone with an unconventional orientation would likely feel uncomfortable living among crowds.
After handing out some food, Chu Yang left the Earth God Temple.
He searched the city again, still finding no trace of the little beggar.
At dusk, Chu Yang returned to the tavern as usual to eat and listen to storytelling. The boy still didn't appear. Chu Yang had originally wanted to share the joy of his "cheat" finally activating, but the kid had gone completely off the grid.
"So many dishes on a table, and no one to share them with. They all went into my stomach—truly…"
"Refreshing!"
Good things lifted the spirit. Chu Yang ate heartily. To hell with the little beggar—get lost!
In his good mood, Chu Yang listened to the storytelling with unusual calm, even managing to stay composed when hearing absurd tales.
"Since the last showdown between the Northern and Southern Beggars at Yanmen Pass, the martial world of the Northern and Southern Song has been much quieter."
"However, in the neighboring Ming Dynasty, the martial world has been anything but peaceful."
"Within the Ming, two major demonic sects—the Ming Cult and the Sun Moon Divine Sect—have long been in conflict over doctrinal differences, with constant disputes among their followers."
"Just days ago, Yang Xiao of the Ming Cult and Xiang Wentian of the Sun Moon Divine Sect fought fiercely. Both hold the position of Left Envoy of Light in their respective sects, second only to their leaders."
"That clash once again pushed the conflict between the two sects to the forefront."
"As for the cause, it seems to involve a female disciple of Emei—one named Ji Xiaofu."
"And this Fairy Ji Xiaofu is said to be the fiancée of Yin Liting, the Sixth Hero of Wudang, and has been missing for many years…"
Chu Yang was dumbfounded.
The Ming Cult fighting the Sun Moon Divine Sect?
"The Northern and Southern Song splitting into two countries was one thing. Now even the Ming Dynasty is joining the chaos…"
"Qiao Feng is from Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, Hong Qigong from Legend of the Condor Heroes and Return of the Condor Heroes, Yang Xiao from Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, and Xiang Wentian from The Smiling, Proud Wanderer."
"The entire Jinxi region has turned into a complete mess!"
Meanwhile, the big idiot who had almost gotten Chu Yang killed was rushed overnight into a mansion.
The moment he opened his eyes, he saw a vicious-looking bald man glaring at him.
He nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Who are you?"
"Who am I? You killed my junior brother and four of my disciples—tell me who I am!"
"Junior brother and disciples? You mean Hou Tonghai and the Four Ghosts of the Yellow River? I didn't kill them!"
"You still dare to argue? They went out for your sake—how could they have died at someone else's hands!"
"I really didn't kill them!"
The big oaf kept protesting, but he was hopelessly bad with words.
Over and over, he could only say that it wasn't him. The bald man refused to listen.
Sha Tongtian sneered. "Guo Jing! First you ruined the prince's plan to assassinate Temujin back in Mongolia, and now you've killed my junior brother and my disciples. No matter what you say, I won't spare you!"
"I'll keep you in the prince's manor and torture you slowly, until you'd rather be dead—only then will my hatred be satisfied!"
With that, Sha Tongtian ordered his men to drag Guo Jing away.
"Old Sha, that dumb kid doesn't look like he's lying."
The man speaking beside Sha Tongtian was his close friend, one of Wanyan Honglie's five great experts—Peng Lianhu, known as the "Thousand-Hand Butcher."
Peng Lianhu continued, "Hou Tonghai and the Four Ghosts of the Yellow River weren't weak. Even if they couldn't beat that kid, there's no way they'd be killed by him."
"I examined the wounds myself. The Four Ghosts all died from a single slash to the throat. Hou Tonghai was pierced straight through the chest by a steel blade and nailed to the wall—also in one move, with no other injuries."
"Even you and I would find that hard to accomplish, wouldn't we?"
Peng Lianhu's words made Sha Tongtian's heart skip a beat.
He was hot-tempered by nature. In a rage, he never thought things through. But after hearing Peng Lianhu's analysis, he finally realized how serious the matter was.
Setting the disciples aside, his junior brother Hou Tonghai might not have been exceptional, but he could still exchange several moves with him—he wasn't completely helpless.
"Could it really have been someone else?"
Sha Tongtian looked baffled, wondering when he had offended such a terrifying expert.
Peng Lianhu said earnestly, "For now, don't touch that kid. If he's connected to the real killer, then as long as he's in our hands, the culprit will eventually show himself."
"Once he enters the prince's manor, we can enlist Lingzhi Shangren and the others. Together, we'll definitely be able to take him down!"
The more Sha Tongtian listened, the more reasonable it sounded. He nodded repeatedly.
Locked in the dungeon beneath the prince's manor, Guo Jing felt more and more wronged. He truly hadn't killed anyone.
But at the scene, aside from him, there hadn't been a second person.
Suddenly, a figure flashed through his mind.
That scholar in a long robe, who looked weak and harmless!
"I accidentally dragged you into this, but you took my money, stripped off my fur coat, and even framed me!"
"You villain—don't let me ever find you!"
Guo Jing, who could barely curse anyone, burst into tears from sheer grievance.
After cheating death, Chu Yang's life didn't change much. He still taught during the day and listened to storytelling at night.
He used to visit the tavern only occasionally.
But ever since Xiao Huang vanished, his visits became frequent.
Chu Yang would habitually order a full table of dishes, waiting from dusk until nightfall.
He kept thinking—what if one day, in the middle of eating, that brat suddenly popped out from some corner…
But several days passed without a trace of Xiao Huang.
He had vanished completely, as if he'd never existed in the city at all.
"That foul-mouthed little brat—always so annoying. Did he offend the wrong people and get beaten to death and dumped in a ditch somewhere?"
The more Chu Yang thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Xiao Huang had always joked around with him without restraint.
Chu Yang treated him with modern sensibilities and didn't find it strange, but others—especially people with status—definitely wouldn't tolerate it.
If he'd offended some powerful noble, the outcome was obvious.
In an ancient world where human life was cheap, a beggar like Xiao Huang—let alone one—could die by the hundreds without anyone caring.
"Even if I reported it to the authorities, they probably wouldn't care about a beggar's life. If I want to find him, I'll have to rely on myself."
Having crossed into this world for so long, the only person Chu Yang could truly call a friend was Xiao Huang. He couldn't just ignore this.
The gap in values between modern people and ancient ones wasn't small—it was enormous. For Chu Yang, finding someone he could really talk to was harder than winning the lottery.
If Xiao Huang really was dead, Chu Yang would have to return to that long stretch of isolation once again.
Returning to a spiritual wasteland was a terrifying prospect.
After hastily finishing dinner, Chu Yang went once more to the Earth God Temple in the eastern part of the city. Xiao Huang wasn't there, but most of the city's beggars gathered in that place.
When it came to finding people, if the Beggars' Sect claimed second place, no other force would dare claim first.
The moment Chu Yang stepped into the temple, the stench hit him head-on, nearly making him vomit up his dinner.
"Teacher Chu!"
The beggars' eyes lit up when they saw him.
They swarmed toward him, quickly surrounding Chu Yang.
The beggars at the Earth God Temple were very familiar with him. This "Teacher Chu" often gave them food and was considered one of the kindest people in their eyes.
Chu Yang didn't disappoint them. He'd bought plenty of food on the way—after all, asking for help without bringing anything felt impolite.
After handing out roast chicken, buns, and all sorts of colorful food, Chu Yang explained his purpose.
Upon hearing that Chu Yang was looking for someone, the beggars immediately straightened up, casting off their usual lazy demeanor and becoming deadly serious.
"Teacher Chu, don't worry. As long as the person you're looking for is still within Southern Song territory, we'll dig three feet into the ground if we have to—we'll find him."
The one in charge of the temple was a six-bag disciple named Da Yong. He thumped his chest as he made the promise, his confidence resounding.
"Then I'll leave it to you all," Chu Yang said, cupping his hands respectfully toward the beggars.
As a well-known village teacher, his courtesy gave the Beggars' Sect plenty of face.
Da Yong beamed, his vanity satisfied, and he took the matter especially seriously.
Before Chu Yang even left, Da Yong had already begun dispatching his men to search.
The beggars scattered in all directions, and the Earth God Temple quickly grew quiet.
Finding someone wasn't something that could be done instantly. Seeing this, Chu Yang didn't linger and left while there was still daylight.
Three days later, early in the morning during class, a knock suddenly sounded outside the courtyard.
Chu Yang opened the door to see Da Yong.
This time, Da Yong no longer looked as confident as before. His expression was grave as he said in a low voice, "Teacher Chu, we've found him—but… the situation isn't good."
Chu Yang frowned. "Brother Da Yong, what do you mean?"
Da Yong took a deep breath and explained, "Our brothers followed the clues you gave and tracked down your friend. It seems he's been taken by a young expert."
"At first, the brothers planned to rescue him for you, but that young man's martial arts were formidable. None of them were his match—they were all injured…"
"I'm sorry, Teacher Chu. We're too weak to help you."
Chu Yang said nothing. He turned, went back inside, retrieved a money pouch, and stuffed it directly into Da Yong's arms.
Da Yong opened it and was instantly shocked by the amount inside. He hurriedly tried to return it. "I can't accept this, Teacher Chu! We failed to save your friend—I already feel ashamed. How could I take so much silver?"
Chu Yang pushed his hand back and shook his head. "Take it. Let the brothers treat their injuries. Winter's almost here—if they're wounded, they might not survive it."
"Make sure they recover properly. Don't let any lasting injuries remain."
Da Yong's eyes instantly reddened. Trembling, he accepted the money pouch. "Teacher Chu, you're a good man. On behalf of the brothers, thank you. But don't worry—this matter, I'll find a way to ask the elders at the main lodge for help."
"No need to trouble them." Chu Yang shook his head. "Just tell me everything you know about Xiao Huang. What happens next, I'll handle myself."
Da Yong grew anxious and tried to dissuade him. "Teacher Chu, please don't be impulsive. That person is truly a master. You're a scholar without the strength to truss a chicken—you can't beat him."
Chu Yang smiled. "I'm not that foolish. I'll ask someone else to make a move when the time comes."
Da Yong didn't know what powerful connections Chu Yang might have, but seeing his calm confidence, he stopped trying to persuade him.
"The one who took your friend doesn't seem like a Central Plains martial artist. His techniques have traces of the Western Regions."
"At present, they're in a princely manor in Yanjing."
Da Yong explained the details at length. The more Chu Yang listened, the stranger it felt.
Logically speaking, if Xiao Huang had offended someone, he would most likely have been beaten to death on the spot. What kind of expert would take a little beggar all the way to such a distant place?
"Damn it… could these two be caught up in some kind of emotional dispute?"
"Doesn't sound like a proper expert at all…"
Chu Yang subconsciously imagined a dramatic man–man affair, then shuddered violently, a chill running down his spine.
"Fuck—suddenly I really don't feel like saving him anymore…"
The next day, after finishing his final lesson, Chu Yang announced a break from classes.
Cheers erupted, and the courtyard instantly turned into chaos.
Seeing how happy they were, Chu Yang smiled too—then immediately assigned a massive amount of holiday homework, ensuring the flowers of the motherland would spend every day meaningfully fulfilled.
The cheers stopped dead. The brats stared at him in disbelief, then burst into tears of joy.
Chu Yang smiled and nodded, satisfied, and pushed the door open to leave.
Yanjing lay within Jin territory—the capital of the Jin state.
It was far from the small Southern Song city where Chu Yang lived.
In this messy fusion world, the geography was completely different from anything Chu Yang remembered. His former geography knowledge was utterly useless.
Maps were rare items in ancient times. Chu Yang searched the entire town and couldn't find a single complete one.
In the end, the storyteller at the tavern gave him an old, worn sheepskin map.
This map had accompanied the storyteller across lands and roads for years, polished smooth with age. Anyone with slightly poor eyesight probably couldn't even read the markings.
Chu Yang sighed and prepared to set out with the map in hand.
He wasn't too worried about the blurriness anyway. He planned to fly there—so long as the landmarks were roughly correct, that was enough.
Under cover of night, Chu Yang used Ultra-Light Boulder Technique to soar into the sky. The pitch-black heavens drew no attention at all.
Looking down from above, the scenery actually matched that patina-worn map remarkably well, carrying a hazy, indistinct charm.
In the time it took to burn half a stick of incense, Chu Yang reached the Southern Song border, where a majestic frontier fortress came into view.
Beyond it lay Jin territory.
Chu Yang crossed the pass and quickly entered Jin lands. City after city appeared below, yet he felt no sense of "leaving the country"—the architectural styles on both sides were nearly identical.
Flying along the direction indicated by the map, Yanjing soon appeared before him.
Compared to the small Southern Song town he had lived in, Yanjing was more than ten times larger. From afar, it looked like an ancient ferocious beast crouching upon the earth.
Even late at night, the city was brightly lit, bustling with prosperity.
The Jin people didn't seem to care much for curfews.
The glowing city made it hard for Chu Yang to land discreetly. After circling it once, he finally descended in the quieter northern district.
This seemed to be a commoners' area, far dimmer than other parts of the city.
The people worked at sunrise and rested at sunset—everything was tranquil.
"Yanjing has plenty of nobles, and more than one princely manor. Where exactly is that brat Xiao Huang?"
"It's late—most people are asleep. Observation Haki won't help much. I can't sense anything…"
"Forget it. I'll find a place to sleep and deal with it tomorrow."
Chu Yang walked alone down the street. It was extremely quiet.
Only the intermittent calls of the night watchman echoed through the darkness.
Leaving the northern district, the surroundings suddenly grew brighter, and hawkers' cries reached his ears.
"Wontons for sale—hot, steaming wontons!"
"Grilled meat! Fresh mutton, venison, fish—five wen a skewer!"
"Delicious noodle soup—eight wen a bowl!"
As far as the eye could see, the street was lined with late-night food stalls.
As Chu Yang walked through, he suddenly felt as if he were in a modern night market.
"Food is the people's heaven. No matter the era, the smoke and fire of daily life are what soothe the heart most."
With a sigh, Chu Yang sat down at a wonton stall and ordered a bowl.
The fragrant aroma whetted his appetite, and he lowered his head and dug in.
After flying all night, he was starving.
Just as Chu Yang was eating, two figures approached from not far away. After glancing around, they stopped beside the wonton stall.
The stall was small—one table and a few benches.
It could seat three people, but it would be cramped.
So the two simply stared straight at Chu Yang, planning to sit down once he finished.
"Boss, two bowls of wontons!"
The speaker was a middle-aged man with a weathered voice. His temples were graying, his face lined with wrinkles and scars—clearly a man with a story.
Beside him stood a young woman, quite pretty—not delicately so, but graceful with a touch of heroism, bright-eyed and white-toothed.
What really caught the eye was her figure—curves in all the right places, with long, shapely legs.
The wonton stall owner stared openly.
The young woman seemed to notice and shook the pack at her side. A clatter of metal rang out from within.
The owner instinctively looked over.
Inside were numerous weapons, gleaming with cold light.
His scalp tingled. He shrank his neck and dared not look again, lowering his head to cook the wontons obediently.
Seeing this, Chu Yang's lips curled slightly. The girl was pretty—and had quite a temper.
"Boss, another bowl," Chu Yang said.
The moment his words fell, he felt the young woman standing nearby grow displeased.
"Finished eating and still not leaving? Eating so much late at night—aren't you afraid of stuffing yourself?"
She muttered softly, but every word reached Chu Yang's ears.
"Sorry. One bowl of wontons really isn't filling. I've got a big appetite," Chu Yang replied with a smile, turning toward her.
Hearing this, the young woman's eyes widened.
She'd spoken very softly—there was no way an ordinary person should have heard her.
"Ah—"
Soon, her fair face flushed red, even the tips of her ears burning.
Chu Yang shifted his bench and said, "If you don't mind, the two of you can sit with me."
The middle-aged man shot the young woman an annoyed look, then cupped his fists toward Chu Yang. "My daughter is young and speaks without thinking. I hope, brother, you won't take it to heart."
Chu Yang chuckled lightly. "No harm done."
The middle-aged man smiled and naturally sat down beside Chu Yang, not forgetting to glance back at his daughter.
Though he didn't say a word, the girl clearly felt the reprimand in her father's eyes. She hurriedly lowered her head, sat down, and murmured an apology.
Chu Yang politely replied that it was fine—he hadn't taken it to heart anyway.
"You look like a scholar, little brother, yet you possess such sharp skills. Truly, one cannot judge a person by appearances," the middle-aged man said.
Given how keen Chu Yang's senses were, he judged that Chu Yang must be a martial artist, and not a weak one at that.
"You flatter me, brother. I only know a bit of crude fistwork," Chu Yang replied.
After that, he focused on eating his wontons, leaving the middle-aged man—who had been about to exchange more pleasantries—to fall silent and lower his head to eat as well.
The girl ate while secretly observing Chu Yang. No matter how she looked at him, this refined, bookish scholar didn't resemble a martial arts expert at all.
Before she could sneak a few more glances, Chu Yang had already finished his bowl in just a few bites. He paid the bill and left without even turning his head back.
"Dad, was that man really an expert?" the girl asked, staring at Chu Yang's retreating figure, clearly unconvinced.
The middle-aged man frowned slightly and hesitated. "He should be. That young man gave me a very strange feeling—though I can't quite say what was strange about it…"
The girl was utterly confused.
The man shook his head with a laugh. "Whether he's an expert or not has nothing to do with us. Rather than thinking about him, you should worry about tomorrow's martial-arts marriage contest."
Those four words—martial-arts marriage contest—made a faint trace of worry flash through the girl's eyes.
Having eaten and drunk his fill, Chu Yang found an inn and slept soundly.
Early the next morning, he began gathering information throughout Yanjing about the various princely estates.
Da Yong had only mentioned that Xiao Huang had been taken into a princely manor.
He hadn't made it clear which one.
But Chu Yang quickly locked onto his target.
Because during his inquiries, he heard a familiar name.
Prince Zhao's Manor.
Wanyan Honglie.
As the initiator of the Legend of the Condor Heroes storyline, Wanyan Honglie was a key figure.
Prince Zhao's Manor housed many martial artists worthy of being called experts. In the entire city of Yanjing, only people from Prince Zhao's Manor could have injured so many Beggar Sect disciples.
As for exactly whom Xiao Huang had offended, that was no longer important.
If he wanted to rescue Xiao Huang, Chu Yang would have to personally visit Prince Zhao's Manor.
In broad daylight, the manor would certainly be heavily guarded—but Chu Yang didn't care.
Even if he had to force his way in, he was confident he could come and go freely.
None of those so-called experts in Prince Zhao's Manor were worthy of a single exchange with him.
After asking a few passersby for directions and confirming the manor's location, Chu Yang immediately set off along the bustling streets toward the city center of Yanjing.
After passing through several alleys, the street ahead suddenly became lively.
The common folk were crowding together shoulder to shoulder, blocking the road completely, though Chu Yang had no idea what they were watching.
Chu Yang clicked his tongue, suddenly understanding why Thanos wanted to snap his fingers.
He stood on tiptoe to look ahead, pondering how to get through, when a scream rang out.
A figure came crashing down heavily into the open space right in front of Chu Yang, flopping about like a fish that had accidentally leapt onto shore, writhing in agony.
"Well damn, what kind of acrobatics is this?" Chu Yang muttered.
He looked up and saw a raised arena ahead, with a banner fluttering in the wind. Four large characters were written on it:
Martial Contest for Marriage!
And that unfortunate fellow lying on the ground had clearly just been kicked off the stage.
Judging by his condition, he wouldn't be getting out of bed for at least ten days or half a month.
What surprised Chu Yang was that the one standing victorious on the arena was a bald monk.
"So intense? Even monks are coming?""The gender ratio must be really unbalanced these days—even monks are worried about finding a wife…"
Chu Yang shook his head with a sigh. He hadn't expected to be worrying about population issues even after coming to ancient times.
Was it really necessary to risk their lives over a martial contest for marriage? Wouldn't it be better to sit down in a tavern and talk about life?
Foolish!Better to compare bride prices than martial arts.
The monk stood on the arena, shouting arrogantly, "Who else?!"
Chu Yang marveled at this. This master was truly a man of temperament—he probably drank and smoked plenty in his daily life.
After waiting a while and seeing no sign of the crowd dispersing, Chu Yang decided to take a detour. If he forced his way through, it would be like a tank plowing over people.
At that moment, a handsome young man dressed in luxurious clothes suddenly emerged from the crowd. Taking a few quick steps, he leapt up, stepping on the shoulders of bystanders as he charged straight for the arena, clearly intending to join the contest.
His handsome face and flashy entrance instantly drew everyone's attention.
Even the girl on the arena stared at him in a daze.
A smug look flashed across the young man's eyes—he clearly enjoyed being the center of attention.
The next second—
His foot suddenly sank, as if shackled by a thousand-jin weight.
His elegant posture halted abruptly, and a teasing voice rang in his ear.
"If you want to show off, then show off—but why the hell are you stepping on my head?"
Chu Yang had grabbed the young man's ankle, his face full of displeasure.
If he hadn't reacted fast enough, this guy would have used his head as a springboard to leap onto the arena.
The pretty boy was instantly embarrassed.
One of his feet was held by Chu Yang, while the other was planted on the shoulder of a middle-aged woman watching the show.
The woman not only wasn't angry—she even looked up at him with a silly grin, eyes full of affection, just like an obsessive fangirl.
The pretty boy shuddered, withdrew the foot from the woman's shoulder, and suddenly kicked toward Chu Yang's face.
As Chu Yang held his ankle, he raised his elbow and drove it forward against the incoming foot.
Empowered by terrifying strength, Chu Yang's elbow was no different from a battering ram. The moment it connected—crack!—the entire foot instantly went numb.
The intense pain turned the pretty boy deathly pale. His face drained of all color, his breathing growing ragged.
Chu Yang smiled, then slammed him hard into the ground, sending his world spinning.
This man's attack had been vicious. Given Chu Yang's temperament, he would never let him off lightly.
Just as the pretty boy was about to hit the ground, two figures burst from the crowd.
One was a lama clad in a red robe, the other a white-haired old man.
The lama slashed at Chu Yang's wrist with a bronze cymbal, while the old man shot several strangely shaped nails from his bare hand straight toward Chu Yang's chest.
Both struck simultaneously at the opening Chu Yang had exposed, trying to force him back and rescue the pretty boy.
"Careful!"The girl on the arena, recognizing Chu Yang's face from the wonton stall the night before, couldn't help but cry out in warning.
What she hadn't expected was that this scholar-dressed youth showed no intention of retreating at all. Facing the ambush, he still chose to smash the man in his hands brutally into the ground!
Boom!!!
The pretty boy spat out a mouthful of blood, nearly fainting from the pain.
So ruthless!
A chill ran through everyone present.
At the same time, both the cymbal and the nails struck Chu Yang's body.
This scholar is dead for sure!
That thought rose instinctively in the girl's heart.
She wasn't the only one—everyone else thought the same.
However, the instant the bronze cymbal struck Chu Yang's wrist, the lama's expression changed drastically.
From the feedback through the weapon, it felt less like he had struck a human—and more like he had hit a diamond-hard block.
The shock traveled up his arm, leaving his entire right arm numb.
Meanwhile, the nails that hit Chu Yang's chest bounced off as if striking steel, clattering onto the ground.
"Not good—he's a body-hardening expert!"
The lama's pupils shrank violently as he shouted a warning to his companion.
He tried to retreat, only to find his gaze locking with Chu Yang's.
The coldness in Chu Yang's eyes was like a biting winter wind, drilling straight into the lama's bones and making every hair on his body stand on end.
Chu Yang reached out with his free hand and pressed it onto the cymbal—then squeezed.
The bronze cymbal, forged with refined steel, crumpled like paper under his grip, crushed into a lump along with the lama's hand, leaving it completely immobilized!
The lama's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, as if he had seen a ghost.
After decades roaming the martial world, he had never once seen someone crush refined steel with their bare hands.
The old man nearby, who had been about to assist, immediately stopped in his tracks, skidding backward and leaving a long mark on the ground.
(End of Chapter)